The United States has announced new COVID-19 testing requirements for all travelers from China.
The new U.S. requirements are set to begin January 5. They will cover all travelers from China, regardless of nationality and regardless of whether they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
In this file photo, passengers are seen wearing masks as they walk through the Capital airport terminal in Beijing on Dec. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
Under the new rules, travelers to the U.S. from China, Hong Kong and Macau will be required to take a COVID-19 test no more than two days before travel. They must provide a negative test before getting on their flight. The requirements cover any traveler 2 years and older, including American citizens.
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 more than 10 days before a flight can provide documentation showing they have recovered from the virus instead of a negative test result.
It will be up to airline companies to confirm negative tests and documentation of recovery before passengers can get on flights.
Matthew Binnicker is a virologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He told The Associated Press, "What we want to avoid is having a variant enter into the U.S. and spread like we saw with Delta or Omicron."
Delta and Omicron were past COVID-19 variants that led to large infection increases across the world.
I'm Ashley Thompson.
The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.
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Words in This Story
regardless – adj. despite something
negative – adj. in a medical test, negative means the person being tested does not have a disease
positive – adj. in a medical test, positive means the person being tested has a disease or condition
track – v. to closely follow something, often by using electronic equipment